Black Swan
by Julzibunny
Summary: The product of a fling between Bruce and Diana, Clara Wayne is a severely overprotected girl with the strength and grace of an Amazon. Will she escape her father's iron grip and take up her family's hero mantle? Heh...you bet she will.


Diana looked herself up and down in the mirror. From what she could see, she wasn't unattractive…so what exactly would it take for Bruce to notice her?! Frustrated, she stalked out of her room, and down one of the watchtower's many corridors. She stopped in front of another door, and knocked.

"Shayera?" she called.

Shayera opened the door, an eyebrow raised. "Diana?"

"How did you make John notice you?" she asked.

The Thanegarian laughed. "You can't make Bruce notice you, you know. If I were you, I'd just ask him out. He's too stupid to do it himself."

"What if he says no?" she asked, for some reason insecure about the whole thing.

"I'll hit him with my mace," Shayera replied. "Now go, while he's up here and not skulking around Gotham City."

Diana nodded, making her way towards the control deck. She could do this. She was Wonder Woman. She kicked ass. She did not cringe in front of men.

"Bruce?" she asked, spotting him by one of the monitors.

"Diana," he nodded.

"I was wondering if you wanted to get a drink somewhere?"

"Can't. Crime doesn't rest, and neither do I."

"…Bruce…" she sighed.

"You weren't joking? Well…I suppose Dick could handle Gotham for a night…" he told her.

She smiled brightly. "I'll go get changed." Then she ran back to her room, beaming.

Wally ran over to Bruce. "She really likes you, huh?"

"We're colleagues," he replied bluntly.

"Nah man, Princess is into you for sure."

"…really?" Bruce hadn't noticed. At all.

Wally just shook his head. Dude was so observant on everything else, but he didn't notice the obvious. Diana returned, wearing a short black dress and scarlet heels, her face appearing softer without her tiara. J'on teleported them to Wayne Manor, where Bruce went upstairs to change, leaving Diana with Alfred.

"Good evening, Miss Prince."

"Hello, Alfred. How are you?" she asked.

"Quite well, thank-you. I must say, it is good to see Master Bruce heading out to enjoy himself for once-he takes his role very seriously."

She sighed. "Believe me, I know."

"Did you have somewhere in mind?" Bruce asked as he returned, doing up his cufflink.

"You would know Gotham's hotspots better than I would," Diana replied with a smile. "You take us somewhere."

He nodded, and led her out to the car. He had to admit, this felt very strange. He'd been on plenty of dates before, but never with someone he was so close to. It was as though there was extra pressure to perform, because he didn't want to fuck it up. He took her to a bar that was not known to be frequented by any of Gotham's major villains, and bought her a drink, all the while growing irrationally anxious about the whole thing.

"Bruce? Are you alright?" Diana asked, reaching across the table to take his hand.

He stared at their linked hands. "Yes."

"This is too weird, isn't it…?" Diana sighed, starting to pull away.

He held onto her hand. "No, stay."

She smiled a bit. "Alright."

Bruce paced anxiously up and down the hall, waiting for news. Diana had only been in labour ten minutes, but it seemed like an eternity.

"Bruce, if you keep going like that you'll wear a track into the carpet," Dick said, sitting on the hall table, tapping his staff against his leg. "Relax, she's Wonder Woman. A little childbirth should be nothing." He watched the door for a moment, then continued, "Boy or girl, d'you reckon?"

"I don't know."

"Got any names in mind?" Dick asked.

"Haven't even thought about it. Been too busy keeping the pregnancy from the league."

"Yeah…why are we doing that again?"

"I don't want my child to become an experiment," he replied.

Then, Diana screamed, and there was a raw, new cry. Dick jumped down from the table excitedly, going towards the door.

The doctor opened it. "Congratulations Mr Wayne…it's a girl."

Diana didn't look up from the child in her arms. She was perfect…soft black hair and bright blue eyes.

"What do we call her?" Bruce asked.

"Clara…" Diana replied. "I like Clara."

"And Penelope as a middle name," Bruce said.

"Clara Penelope Wayne…" Diana smiled.

Bruce nodded. He was going to keep this baby safe. There would be no safer baby on the planet. He wouldn't let his daughter get into harm's way-he'd protect her by whatever means necessary.

"I can't wait to show you to everybody at the watchtower," Diana cooed.

"What?! You can't take her up there! Space isn't safe for her!" Bruce exclaimed.

"But she'll be with us, and the league. What could happen, Bruce?" Diana asked.

"No, she's not leaving Earth. She's not leaving this house."

Dick was slowly backing away. Not good.

"Oh? And what if her mother chooses to leave?" Diana asked, flaring up, her arms protectively around her child.

"Then she won't have a mother, will she?" Bruce replied calmly.

"I will always be her mother!"

"Then stay, Diana!"

Rage filled her, and she stood, handing the child to Alfred. "I am slave to no man, Bruce Wayne."

"Oh for goodness' sake, Diana! Stay for the baby."

But it was too late. She had already left, her confusion becoming tangible as tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn't know what was right or wrong any more, and she couldn't help but feel that she'd just made a terrible decision.


End file.
